Tacoma, Washington Owney tag

Owney the Dog · 1895-1896

Among Owney’s more unusual tokens is this one given to him from the Tacoma [Washington] Poultry Association. The association held a show between December 31, 1895 and January 4, 1896, and quite possibly Owney was visiting the city at that time. Given Owney’s demonstrated fondness for chasing chickens, it is hard to imagine he would have behaved himself at a poultry show. Just two years earlier Owney had rewarded a California clerk’s hospitality by chasing the family’s chickens. By the time the clerk responded to the wild cackling and squawking in his yard, Owney was found with the “finest and largest fowl of the yard” in his mouth.